CHAMPAGNE LARMANDIER-BERNIER Champagne 1er Cru 'Rose de Saignee' Extra Brut NV

Grape

100% Pinot Noir

Tasting notes

Rosé de Saignée Extra-Brut from Larmandier-Bernier is an intense, concentrated, richly fruity champagne, gourmand and gastronomic.

It is made using the free-run technique, uniquely from Pinot Noir old vines on the Vertus terroir where the champagne house Larmandier-Bernier is established. This method, little used in Champagne, consists of allowing the grapes to macerate for a few hours or up to a few days, depending on the desired result.

For this Rosé de Saignée Extra-Brut, Pierre and Sophie Larmandier have chosen a maceration of 2 days duration which has given this cuvee its deeply intense color and distinctive aromas. It is then vatted, and matured on its lees over winter before being bottled and laid in the cellars for around 2 years for full aromatic development.

The great quality, maturity and concentration of the Pinot Noir grapes permit a very light dosage. Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Extra-Brut will go marvelously well with wild smoked salmon or venison with cranberry sauce, and is also delicious on its own.

Expert Ratings

94 / 100 Parker

Disgorged in January 2020 with two grams per liter dosage, Larmandier-Bernier's NV Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée (2017 base) is the newest release. It shows very nicely, bursting with aromas of orange, raspberries, cherries and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and incisive, its pretty and expressive fruit tones are complemented by racy acids and a pillowy mousse.

More About The Winery

Larmandier-Bernier is a family grower estate with 18 hectares of biodynamically farmed vineyards in the Côte des Blancs, spanning the Grand Cru villages of Cramant, Chouilly, Oger, Avize, and the Premier Cru of Vertus. Though the Larmandier and Bernier families trace their roots back to the French Revolution, the estate was officially founded in 1971, and since 1988 has been led by Pierre and Sophie Larmandier.

Pioneers of organic viticulture since 1992 and fully biodynamic since 1999, the domaine is acclaimed for its authentic terroir-driven Champagnes. Indigenous yeasts, minimal or no dosage, vinification in large oak foudres or Burgundian barrels, and extended lees aging yield wines of striking purity, minerality, and depth.

With older Chardonnay vines averaging 35 years (and up to 70 in Cramant), the wines reflect the essence of their prestigious terroirs. A perpetual reserve started in 2004 adds further complexity to their blends. Today, Larmandier-Bernier stands as one of Champagne’s leading artisan houses, crafting cuvées that rank among the region’s finest.